Many mining and industrial locations which produce or use coke, coal, sand or other loose aggregate material must provide means for preventing dust particles from accumulating in the surrounding environment. For example, in coal mines it is often mandatory to provide means for preventing accumulations of coal dust from remaining suspended in the air.
Various dust suppressant compositions and methods are known in the art for spraying in air to reduce air-borne dust or for spraying on substances which develop dust, for example coal aggregates. The Callahan et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,369,121 discloses a composition for controlling dust which comprises a cellulose ether and a wetting agent such as an ethylene oxide condensate of nonyl- or octylphenol, ethylene oxide condensates of straight chain alcohol, fatty acid amides, quaternary ammonium compounds, organic phosphate esters, and sulfonic acids. The Doeksen U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,170 discloses a composition and method for controlling dust during coal transportation wherein the composition comprises an aqueous solution containing an asphalt emulsion or a black liquor lignin product and a water soluble ethoxylated alkyl phenol. The Cargle et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,252 discloses an aqueous coal dust abatement composition including a water soluble sulfonic acid salt and ethoxylated nonyl phenol and the Shimizu et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,428,984 discloses a method of preventing dusts by spreading an aqueous solution including an ethoxylated alkyl phenol, alcohol, fatty acid, amine or fatty acid amide and a polyhydric alcohol.
Additionally, the Taylor et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,487,615 discloses a method of reducing mine dust by spraying water including a surfactant produced by reacting ethylene oxide with linear primary alcohols. The Brehm U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,136,050 and 4,171,276 disclose a dust suppression composition comprising an aqueous solution of alkyl phenoxy polyethoxy ethanol and a copolymer of ethylene oxide and propylene oxide.
However, the above dust suppressing compositions and methods all have various disadvantages in that the compositions are not immediately effective and require an extended time for satisfactory performance or that the compositions include excessive aromatic or other less biodegradable or toxic materials. There is therefore a need for a dust suppressant composition which quickly enhances the settling of air-borne dust and which is substantially biodegradable and nontoxic in the environment.